About Tuiles

Tuiles are very thin crisp, almost brittle cookies that, when hot, are formed into a curved shape over a tulle mold or rolling pin. Once formed, the curved cookie resembles the traditional red roof tile for which they are named.

The classic tuile cookie is made from finely chopped almonds, but they can also be made with almost any other nut or seed or flavored with citrus, extracts, chocolate, spices, or honey.

Although tuiles or other crisp, thin, moldable cookies of the same style are traditionally formed over a mold, rolling pin, or bottle, they can also be formed using a cut stencil. The batter is, in fact, sometimes called “stencil paste.” In this case, instead of letting the batter spread out while baking into a slightly irregular circle, it is shaped by a stencil form: A baking sheet is lined with a silicone liner. A commercially made or a hand-cut stencil is placed on the silicone and, using an offset spatula, the batter is spread over the cut stencil in a smooth, even layer. The stencil is then lifted off, leaving the shaped cookie, which can be baked as directed.